The US scored on Sweden in three minutes. Three exactly.
No one blinked when the US Women’s National Team trounced Thailand in their first 2019 World Cup match — ok, 13 goals caused a little blinking. The US held FIFA’s number one spot for two full years heading into the World Cup. During 2018 World Cup qualifying, no team could even score against them.
The team’s confederation, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) is weak. Besides US regional rival Canada, ranked fifth in the world by FIFA, only two other CONCACAF women’s teams, Mexico (#26) and Costa Rica (#36), break FIFA’s top 50. Who knows is CONCACAF countries even give budget lines to their women’s teams.
Sure, the US team flattens poor, underdeveloped CONCACAF squads, but outside the Olympics and World Cup, it plays only friendlies against the world’s toughest teams. Meanwhile, number two Germany regularly faces number three, France. And eighth ranked Japan plays in the same regional confederation as North Korea, South Korea and China, all in FIFA’s top 15.
After the US sailed through their first two World Cup match ups, everyone said, “Just wait for Sweden. The US always wobbles against Sweden.”
The US scored against Sweden in the third minute. However, as promised, the game provided a sense of the US team’s true measure — and that’s not good for other teams. The US made mistakes in their defensive third and the Swedes had a few interesting counterattacks. Still, the game was always in US control.
The 2-0 victory against Sweden leaves little room for doubt: The US team is the strongest team in the tournament.
During the game Fox commentator, former US midfielder, Aly Wagner declared, “Of all the teams we’ve seen, the US looks the sharpest, the freshest and the most explosive.”
Who can dispute this?
Striker Alex Morgan has been in supernatural form, tying Michelle Akers’ World Cup record with her five goals against Thailand. Morgan took a knock during the Sweden game, so subbed out after the first half. Who replaced her? Carli Lloyd. That’s right, the US has Carli Lloyd sitting on its bench. Who sits next to Lloyd? NWSL Championship MVP Jessica McDonald. It’s a fierce bench.
The one-sided World Cup group matches showcased the crowd of young US players who will fight for minutes and score goals. Lindsey Horan, Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle were near-perfect in the Group Stage.
And, inexplicably, veterans Rapinoe, Ertz, O’Hara and Heath are somehow in better form than they were in 2015. On Thursday O’Hara bossed the Swedes on both ends of the field. And FIFA can rule it an own-goal, but Heath’s shot for the second goal was sublime. The expertise, composure and audacity of these seasoned players will have incalculable impact on US performance in the knockouts and beyond.
The US faces Spain on Monday. The Spanish team plays lovely soccer. They are pure joy in possession, however, they were unable to score against Germany or China in their group.
Heaven help them against a US Women’s National Team that is only beginning to show the world what it’s capable of.